


But for now we just pretend

by zjemciciastko



Category: Motorcycling RPF
Genre: A tiny bit of angst i guess, Alternate Universe, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 20:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20784782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zjemciciastko/pseuds/zjemciciastko
Summary: Valentino hits the save button so the file he has been working on for the past hour doesn’t get lost, forcing him to start all over again. “My ex-girlfriend invited me to her wedding.”Marc blinks at him, all big eyes and undisrupted faith in humanity. “That’s nice of her. When’s the wedding?”Valentino sighs heavily;nicewouldn’t really be his word of choice. “You don’t get it,” he says, wondering whether he should tell Marc why he isn’t exactly thrilled about the prospect. “I haven’t dated anyone since her, I can’t show up there alone.”“I can go with you,” Marc offers immediately after learning about the wedding date. “I have that weekend off, so I could be your date, if you want.”





	But for now we just pretend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lewishamilton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lewishamilton/gifts).

> Dear Jazz, here's another birthday fic for you! Since you orginally wanted these fools (before they went and messed everything up again), here they are. I promise they're a bit nicer here than irl. Happy Birthday! <3
> 
> This isn't edited properly, and I don't have the strength to do it now, I'm sorry, so feel free to point any mistakes out. The title is from CNCO's _Pretend._

Marc tilts his head to the side, observing Valentino with watchful eyes. “You seem pretty quiet today. Did something happen?” 

They have this routine established, where Marc comes over to Valentino’s office with his lunch, gets crumbs all over Valentino’s desk, and chats about whatever is going on in his department, while Valentino tries to work and mostly fails. They’ve gotten so used to it that by now, it’s an integral part of their day. 

Valentino hits the save button so the file he has been working on for the past hour doesn’t get lost, forcing him to start all over again. “My ex-girlfriend invited me to her wedding.”

He found the invitation in his mailbox, a white card with golden letters, expressing Linda and Fernando’s hope of sharing their special day with him. Valentino couldn’t have helped that snort he let out at seeing Alonso’s signature below the words. Fernando sure as hell isn’t excited to see his fiancée’s ex at their wedding. Linda though, Valentino still has a soft spot for, and that’s the only reason why he hasn’t thrown that invitation in the trash yet. 

Marc blinks at him, all big eyes and undisrupted faith in humanity. “That’s nice of her. When’s the wedding?” 

Valentino sighs heavily; _nice_ wouldn’t really be his word of choice. “You don’t get it,” he says, wondering whether he should tell Marc why he isn’t exactly thrilled about the prospect. “I haven’t dated anyone since her, I can’t show up there alone.”

_And look like a loser._

He doesn’t add the last part, but he’s sure Marc figures it out.

Marc sits at the edge of the chair, placing his hands on Valentino’s desk, palms down. He’s put his sandwich back in the box, and Valentino is about to tell him to slow down, because chewing at that speed might not end well, but Marc beats him to any words. 

“I can go with you,” Marc offers immediately after learning about the wedding date. “I have that weekend off, so I could be your date, if you want.”

Valentino almost chokes on air. “You want to go there with me?”

That’s the last thing he’d have expected to hear. Marc looks absolutely serious though, any trace of playfulness gone from his face. 

“I mean, you’ve dated guys before, right?” Marc asks; Valentino nods warily. “So it should be fine, I think.”

Well, Marc has a point. It’s certainly a tempting offer, and it’s not like Linda didn’t know about Valentino also having dated men before her, but it still feels a little iffy. It’s hard to imagine even pretending to date Marc because Marc is so much younger, handsome and hardly someone people would expect Valentino to be in a relationship with. 

Valentino folds his arms in front of his chest and tries to swallow the weird lump that has been formed in his throat. “How do you imagine that?”

Marc shrugs dismissively. “We show up for a few hours, watch the wedding, get the free food and then go home,” he says; Valentino wishes he could share that nonchalance. “We’ll probably have to hold hands or something, but I think that should be enough? Nothing extreme.”

It sounds so easy when he puts it like this that Valentino almost agrees right away. 

He grabs his phone from where it’s lying on the desk and opens the calendar app, even though he’s well aware that he has no other plans for that weekend. His finger hovers above the date, yet he doesn’t tap on it. It’s Marc, and they have always gotten along exceptionally well, but there is a difference between being friends and _dating._ Even if it’s not for real. 

“Unless you don’t want to go at all?” Marc adds a little later, frowning. He looks kind of worried, as if he sensed Valentino’s hesitation at last, the impression further enhanced by the way he bites on his lip. 

Valentino thinks about Marc’s words for a moment. “No, I guess going with you is better than not going.”

Even after their break up, he still has a spot for Linda. And if she invited him, he guesses that she must’ve meant it. That doesn’t make things any less awkward for him, but if he has a choice between going alone and sticking out like a sore thumb there and taking a (fake) boyfriend with him, the choice is rather obvious. 

Marc grins. 

“Then we have a deal,” he says, sounding much more enthusiastic than Valentino is feeling. “I’m sure we’ll have fun, and if the party isn’t good, we can at least get drunk.” 

He laughs and goes in for a high five that Valentino reciprocates weakly. Their conversation shifts to some other topic, and Valentino nods when he thinks it’s appropriate, but doesn’t listen much to what Marc is saying. 

The invitation he hid behind the cover sheet of his newest project still feels like a joke. 

*

They are seated at the back of the room, leaving the front rows for Linda and Fernando’s family members and closest friends. Valentino looks around in search of any familiar faces, noticing Linda’s mother and some friends they use to share but don’t do anymore. He nods at a few of them, receiving mostly surprised stares in return, before he focuses on Marc again. 

Marc is checking something on his phone, tapping at the screen as he first furrows his brows and then lets out a little laugh. Valentino feels rather out of place, and to be honest, this isn’t really his place to be. He smiles a little when Marc winks at him, and hopes for the whole thing to be over very soon. 

A moment later, Marc tugs on the sleeve of Valentino’s suit. “She’s here.”

Valentino turns towards the entrance where Linda is standing, one of her arms hooked with her father’s. She strolls between the rows of seats gracefully, looking beautiful, and the dress only enhances her figure, just like the makeup enhances her features. She must be wearing some hills, too, as she’s towering over the majority of the guests, her head above Valentino’s too when she passes by them.

Linda stops right next to Fernando and leans down for a kiss. Before Valentino can say something or react in any other way, Marc catches his hand and squeezes it. 

“Are you okay?” he whispers too loudly, a few heads turning their way. 

Valentino looks from Linda and Fernando to his and Marc’s joined hands. “I’m fine.”

It’s not a lie. It’s not like he’s not okay. Linda looks beautiful, Valentino will admit that, but that’s it. The fluttering sensation he used feel in his stomach whenever he looked at her is gone completely. It’s strange watching her getting married, but nothing more than that. There’s no anger or jealousy. 

Nonetheless, he’s grateful for Marc’s company, even if it means a slightly sweaty palm and a few judgemental stares. 

They watch the ceremony unfold, Linda and Fernando first saying yes, then pushing the gold bands on each other’s fingers. Valentino feels Marc’s eyes on himself during many times, as if repeating that _Are you okay?_ and he appreciates the concern, even though it’s not really necessary. He squeezes Marc’s hand back, letting it go only for a moment, when they’re supposed to join the rest of the guests and clap. 

When it’s time for the wishes, Valentino goes over to Linda and Fernando with Marc trailing a step behind him. 

“You want me to stay behind?” Marc asks when they’re trying to squeeze their way between all the other guests. The crowd is enormous and they have a hard time passing through, nearly losing each other once in the massive sea of bodies spread all over the room. 

Valentino stops for second, frowning. “Why would I want that?”

Marc follows suit, nearly running into a waitress holding a tray full of champagne glasses. He smiles at her apologetically, before turning to Valentino with a similar expression. “I don’t know, I thought maybe you wanted to talk to Linda in private.” 

It’s the contrary, actually. Valentino is glad he doesn’t have to talk to Linda alone. Marc’s company serves as an excellent excuse, as he’s sure that Linda will tease him mercilessly for whatever reason she finds fit. 

He takes of those champagne glasses and takes a gulp, hoping for some liquid courage magic. “I thought the whole point of you coming here with me was to pretend to be my boyfriend and now you want to leave in the most important moment?”

Marc laughs. “I hope she won’t change her mind and try to take you from me when she realizes what she lost.”

Valentino goes along with the joke, winking at Marc. “She’s no competition for you. You don’t have to worry.” 

He thinks nothing of Marc’s expression as they finally make it to the newlyweds, the hordes of other people having moved out of their way at last. 

Valentino gives Linda a kiss on the cheek and shares an awkward handshake with Fernando, neither of them entirely comfortable with the situation. Marc says his own wishes, a generic _all the best,_ and Valentino almost relaxes, thinking he might get out of this one alive, when the safety bubble bursts.

Linda grins, and that’s all Valentino needs to know he won’t like what’s coming next.

“So Vale, tell me about your new boy.”

Ah, shit. Here it comes. 

Valentino looks to the side and finds Marc staring at him with clueless eyes. Now that he thinks about it, he probably should’ve prepared Marc for Linda better, as those few stories he told the younger man before probably won’t be enough. It’s too late now either way, so he puts an arm around Marc’s back and hopes for the best.

“This is Marc,” Valentino says, wrapping an arm around Marc’s lower back, praying for Linda to spare him, or rather Marc, this time. As expected, it doesn’t happen. 

Linda smiles; Valentino thinks it’s pure evil. 

“You exchanged me for a younger model, I see.” 

She leans down to take a closer look at Marc, and if Valentino didn’t know her well, he probably would’ve been intimidated by that; he understands why Marc moves a little closer, nearly gluing himself to Valentino’s side. 

In a poor attempt to save Marc from whatever it is Linda planned for them, Valentino points to the crowd behind him. 

“I think there are people waiting for you,” he says, praying for it to work, but not having much hope. When Linda fixates herself on something, it’s a lost cause.

It is the case, as Linda waves at the other guests, and immediately, they form a line obediently, as if she has just used some kind of magic on them. “There, all taken care of. So, Marc,” she bends down to be on the same eyelevel with Marc, “What made you think dating Vale was a good idea?” 

Suddenly, Valentino thinks that coming to that wedding was a very bad idea.

Marc takes a step back. His eyes are wide, and Valentino tightens his hold around Marc’s waist, wishing he could take Marc away from Linda’s preying hands. 

“You don’t have to answer, Marc,” Valentino reassures, hoping it didn’t make Marc that uncomfortable. “She’s evil.” 

Marc blinks. Linda pouts. Fernando looks like he’s most definitely agreeing with Valentino’s assessment. 

Out of the three of them, Marc is the first to wake up, putting his most charming face on. 

“I mean, who wouldn’t want to date Vale?” Marc asks rhetorically, resting his head on Valentino’s shoulder; Valentino can’t even sense the lie, it’s impressive. 

Marc goes on and on about Valentino’s various endearing qualities, enumerating so many that it almost makes Valentino feel like they’re dating for real. Linda’s grin grows bigger and bigger with each word, another thing Valentino doesn’t like, and it only stops when Marc runs out of breath a few minutes later. 

“Okay, you passed the test,” Linda says, flipping one of her long locks behind. “You have my blessings.” 

She kisses Marc on the cheek and pats him on the shoulder as the final proof of acceptance. 

“I’m glad,” Marc answers, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and for a split second, Valentino sees some semblance between the two of them. 

“I don’t think Vale has ever looked at me the way he looks at you,” Linda sighs, looking at Valentino with feigned disappointment. “If I wasn’t married, I’d have been jealous.”

Marc winks at her. “Maybe you should.”

Fernando mumbles something in Spanish that Valentino doesn’t catch. It’s for the better, he assumes, as he can’t imagine it being anything other than threats of physical violence if Linda doesn’t stop mentioning her time as Valentino’s girlfriend. 

“There’s a lot of people waiting to talk with you, we won’t bother you anymore,” Valentino says, steering Marc away by the shoulders before he and Linda can get a little too friendly. Fernando is apparently relieved, too, as he loses the murderous expression he’s been wearing for the past few minutes. 

They sit down at their assigned table, Valentino finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. It wasn’t that bad, but he’s still a little worried that he’ll have to be more wary for the next few day in case Fernando decides to place a hit on his head. 

“I can see why you were dating her,” Marc says out of nowhere, raising his glass. “Cheers.”

Valentino clinches his own champagne with Marc’s. “Funny thing, I can’t anymore.” 

Sure, when things were good, they were good, and he and Linda are still on good terms, but Valentino couldn’t imagine dating her again. And it doesn’t have anything to do with the threat of suffering a long and painful death at Fernando’s hands. They’re just not that close anymore.

Marc shakes the glass, the liquid sloshing inside it. He puts it back on the table without taking more than one gulp, and stuffs his face with a slice of cake. 

*

Making it to their hotel room proves to be a challenge. Valentino hasn’t drunk all that much, but Marc’s walk is a little wobbly, and he almost trips on his legs a few times on their way to the lift.

Valentino catches Marc by the elbow when the younger man, once again, sways on his feet, about to kiss the ground. 

“Thanks, Vale,” Marc says, wrapping his arm around Valentino’s arm. “You saved my life, “ he adds, giggling. 

“Careful,” Valentino warns. “Carmelo would kill me if his most valuable employee got hurt because of me.”

Valentino is sure that he’d get slaughtered if anything happened to the golden egg lying goose that Marc has quickly become. 

“Maybe you should carry me bridal style, like ‘Nando did to Linda then,” Marc cackles, the words a little slurred. “It looked nice. A bit funny because, you know, she’s soooo tall. But cute.” 

It’s a lot of patience Valentino will needto deal with this. 

“If you want to be like them, then shouldn’t it be you carrying me?” Valentino challenges. “You’re the short one here.”

Marc pouts, but brightens up in a second. “If I’m ‘Nando, then you’re _ Lindo,_” he says, visibly proud of the play on words he has just made. 

Valentino runs a hand down his face and pushes the button to call the lift, hoping it arrives quickly. Being called _cute_ of all things, even as a pun, would’ve made him cringe under any other circumstances. As things are now, Valentino doesn’t have the heart to tell that to Marc, who’s still grinning at him brightly like he had just made the funniest of jokes. 

Thankfully, the lift arrives before Marc can deliver any more cheesy lines.

They’re still nearly glued to each other, or rather Marc is glued to Valentino’s shoulder, playing with the cufflinks of Valentino’s shirt. It’s rather distracting, but at least Marc is quiet, so that’s a plus. 

The silence, however, doesn’t last long. 

“You smell nice,” Marc comments, almost grazing Valentino’s neck with the tip of his nose. “New cologne?” 

Valentino, lord help him, takes a deep breath. “No, I’ve been using it for a long time.”

Marc doesn’t seem to be satisfied with the answer, but he accepts the answer begrudgingly. “It’s still nice. You should continue using it,” he says, taking another whiff.

It’s that moment when the lift decides to end Valentino’s misery and its doors open, letting them free. 

Finding their room is easy, opening it with Marc hanging onto Valentino’s shoulder less so, but Valentino manages. He escorts Marc to the sofa, where he leaves the younger man with the tv remote in hand after they agree on who uses the bathroom first. When Valentino emerges from the shower, he doesn’t find Marc in front of the tv, but there’s a voice calling him from the other room. 

Marc’s head sticks out from behind the door. “Vale?”

Valentino doesn’t like the expression on Marc’s face at all. 

“What is it?” he asks, not sure what to expect. If it’s a bug Marc is bothered by or if there’s a corpse hidden in between the sheets. 

Marc bites on his lip. “We have a problem.” 

Valentino picks himself up without much will and goes over to see what Marc meant by that. It’s obvious the moment Valentino puts a foot in that room. Marc blinks up at him, as if judging the reaction, but other than that, he doesn’t do anything else.

Valentino brings his fingers to his temples. One double bed. Of course. The worst thing is, Valentino can’t even blame Linda for that since to her knowledge, he _is_ dating Marc, so sleeping in one bed seems only natural. 

“I can sleep on the sofa,” Marc offers, much more sober out of a sudden. 

The offer is tempting but also incredibly unfair. Valentino wouldn’t have thought about suggesting something like that after everything Marc has done for him this weekend. 

“No, is fine,” Valentino denies, waving a hand to brush the issue away. “You’re so short, we can both fit in there.”

Marc pouts at the mention of his height, but he goes along with Valentino’s idea. Soon, they’re both lying in the bed together, Marc on the right side, Valentino situating himself on the left. There’s only one blanket for them to share, and the night is quite chilly even for September, so their shoulders are touching when Marc wraps the fabric around his body like a cocoon.

“I hope you don’t kick at night,” Valentino says, partly joking, party not. Marc is so energetic that Valentino wouldn’t be surprised if he did. 

Marc smacks him on the shoulder lightly. “Not funny,” he complains, sticking his tongue out. “I don’t kick, but you’ll have to fight me for the blanket.” 

To prove his words, Marc pulls on the fabric, hiding most of his face under it, only the mischievous eyes visible above it. 

Their banter continues for a few minutes, interrupted by Marc’s cackling and Valentino’s own laughter. It’s easy. Comfortable. Valentino doesn’t mind it in the slightest bit, and maybe staying in one bed with Marc should be weirding him out, but it isn’t. It’s all fun and games, but when Marc first falls silent for a moment and then changes the topic to a more serious one, it catches Valentino off guard. 

Marc turns on his side, propping his face in his palm. “Why did you break up?”

Valentino can’t see him all that well, as the room is only lit by the light of the streetlamp seeping through the shades, but he notices some careful curiosity in between the shadows falling on Marc’s cheeks. 

“Nothing spectacular happened.” There was no huge drama, after all. “It just stopped working and we couldn’t make it work again.”

He couldn’t even tell one main reason of his break up with Linda, they just decided to follow different paths. 

Marc hums understandingly. “Do you still love her?”

Valentino looks at him, a little baffled by the question. He doesn’t have any lingering feelings for Linda anymore, it’s been a while since they broke up and it’s not like he wouldn’t wat to get back with her. But it gets a bit lonely at times. Sometimes, he wishes it would be less so.

“No, I’m actually glad that she has her life figured out,” Valentino says, folding arms behind his neck. _Unlike me._

“Do you like anyone now?” comes another question, this time more quiet. 

Valentino thinks about it for a moment. There aren’t that many people he’s close to, and out of those, the closest one would probably be Marc himself. There’s Jorge, who’s pretty much married to Dani even though they haven’t tied the knot yet, and there are Luca’s friends who feel more like little brothers than potential boyfriends. With women, the situation isn’t much more interesting. 

“Not really.” 

Marc is quiet for a moment.

“You’ll find someone for yourself, Vale,” he assures, patting Valentino’s shoulder encouragingly. He sounds absolutely convinced of that. 

“And how can you know what?” Valentino asks because Marc’s belief in those words seems unquestionable. Certainly stronger than Valentino’s own.

“When you know, you know. Anyone would be lucky to be dating you.” 

Marc stares at Valentino unblinkingly, and for some reason it’s making Valentino nervous. Marc’s stare has always been intense, but the impression is amplified by the darkness of the room and the silence broken only by their voices. 

Valentino swallows, trying to think of something to break this weird tension that he’s sure only he is feeling, but nothing comes to his mind. He pulls on the blanket, but that means covering not only himself but also Marc, and it doesn’t help with calming him down at all. 

Marc yawns, and the moment is broken, much to Valentino’s relief. 

They don’t talk much more after that, just exchanging a few jokes that probably would have been a lot less funny had they not drunk that alcohol. 

“Good night, Vale,” Marc says, covering his mouth when another yawn is trying to escape from it. “Sweet dreams.”

Before Valentino can respond, Marc moves. His hand is on Valentino’s shoulder, and he kisses Valentino’s cheek, nearly grazing the corner of Valentino’s lips accidentally. 

Valentino wishes him a good night’s sleep in turn. He himself barely sleeps that night, the rattling of his heart so loud that he’s surprised it hasn’t woken Marc up. 

*

In the next few days, everything supposedly goes back to normal. 

They return from Linda’s wedding on Sunday morning, Valentino calling a taxi to take them back to their respective homes. The ride is mostly quiet, Marc trying to tell a few jokes and Valentino nodding absentmindedly, but not able to focus on the words properly. When they arrive at Marc’s, Valentino waves him goodbye, adding a brief hug, and goes back to his own house, therefore returning to his normal reality. 

Except, it’s not really normal, because ever since, Valentino has been thinking about Marc, non stop, all the time, and that definitely isn’t the norm. And he knows what it means, it hits him one of the following evenings when he reaches out for the phone to send a simple text, _Super bored, what are you up to?_, the first person he turns to being Marc. 

The weird tingling is his stomach is enough to tell Valentino that indeed, it is a crush he’s harbouring. 

At work, they don’t see much of each other, Marc busy with some new project, Valentino almost relieved at that turn of events. And maybe it’s for the better, Valentino thinks, because he can hardly focus as it is. Seeing Marc would make things even worse.

Valentino grabs a coffee from the coffee shop around the corner, dark and bitter, greets Jorge with a wave of his hand and tries to go about his day like usual. Best strategy. Or he thought it was, because it fails rather fast. 

“What’s with you today?” Jorge asks after Valentino makes the same dumb mistake for the third time this day. 

It’s not often that Valentino works with Jorge these days, what is honestly a good thing for both of them, but sometimes they pair up to work on some project together. Normally, Valentino is fine with it. They got over whatever drama they had in the past, and the results of their work are surprisingly good, but today Valentino doesn’t really feel like having to deal with Jorge.

“Nothing’s with me,” he says, trying to sound nonchalant.

One look at Jorge is enough to tell it didn’t work.

Jorge makes the most unimpressed face Valentino has ever seen. “Sure, and Dovizioso will win the Employee of the Year this time,” he sneers, not able to resist the jab at Andrea. 

Valentino has to bite his tongue to resist that comment about Dovi being closer to that title than Jorge for the third time in a row. 

He swallows, contemplating whether he should tell Jorge about everything or not. They’re sort of friends now, the dramatic rivalry long forgotten, and Jorge can be a nice person when he wants to, even if not all that often. And it’s not like Valentino has anyone else he could talk to, not in the company, at least, so it’s not like he has much choice. 

“Jorge,” Valentino says in a hushed voice, wary about anyone overhearing them. “I have a problem.”

Jorge rises an eyebrow suspiciously. “I’m not helping you get rid of Casey unless you pay me real good money for it.”

Valentino throws a ball of paper at him; Jorge ducks easily, smirking all the while, as the paper falls to the floor. 

“I’m being serious,” Valentino tells him, well aware that his voice sounds dangerously close to a whine. 

Jorge picks up the crumpled ball of paper and throws it to the bin hidden under the spare third desk. He leans back on his chair, crossing the arms in front of his chest.“Okay, spill. What is it?” 

Now that he’s supposed to say it out loud, Valentino gets stuck. He uncaps one of the pens, then caps it again, getting ink smeared on his fingers in the process, and throws his head backwards, as if the ceiling had the answers to all of his questions. 

“I think I might like Marc.”

Valentino closes his eyes and slides a hand over his face. Those are not the words he ever expected to say. 

“So you think you might like Marc,” Jorge mocks, entirely unhelpfully. He looks suspiciously smug, not the reaction Valentino counted on, and it gets on Valentino’s nerves. “Honestly, you only realised that now?”

“What do you mean _I only realised that now?_” Valentino hisses. He doesn’t like Jorge’s response one bit. When was he supposed to realise anything when there was nothing to realise until last week?

Jorge leans back on the chair, smirking. “I don’t know, most people who know you two realised months ago. Myself included.” 

“There was nothing to realise back then,” Valentino protests, echoing his thoughts. 

It’s for nothing, as Jorge ignores any kind of explanation. Instead, he’s still sporting that smirk, and it might’ve grown even bigger, if Valentino’s eyes are not deceiving him. 

“Keep telling yourself that,” Jorge says, not moved by Valentino’s offended look. He picks his mug, the one with the devil logo, up and brings it to his lips. “So, what’s the problem?” 

Valentino deadpans. “The fact that he’s not into me, obviously.” 

Jorge nearly spits his coffee out. “You’re joking, right?”

He’s the closest to shocked Valentino has seen in the years they’ve known each other, eyebrows almost reaching his hairline and his eyes rounding up.

Valentino doesn’t find it funny at all. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

“Vale, Marc is the most obvious person in the whole universe,” Jorge says, apparently still quite shocked. “He’d suck your dick in a heartbeat, if only you asked. And you wouldn’t even have to say please.”

Valentino gapes. He thinks of Marc’s comments, those jokingly calling him cute and that one about him smelling nice. And, probably the most telling ones, those made when they were lying in bed together. Marc asking whether Valentino was still in love with Linda. If he likes anyone at the moment. 

Suddenly, everything clicks. 

“Fuck.”

Jorge wrinkles his nose. “Not in the office, I hope. There are some safety standards here.” 

Valentino punches him in the shoulder. “You can be sure that if Marc and I ever fuck in the office, it’ll be on your desk.” 

“I’m calling the police on you, if you do,” Jorge warns, but there’s no real threat in there. 

The middle finger Valentino flips him gets ignored altogether. 

“Seriously, Yorg. What do I do now?” 

Valentino feels lost. If Marc has really had a crush on him all this time, then that changes literally everything. 

Jorge shrugs. “Ask him to suck your dick?” he suggests. Valentino glares, unimpressed. “Okay, okay, stop glaring at me like that, old man. Just ask him to go on a date with you, I’m more than sure that he’ll say yes.”

Valentino thinks he might do just that. 

*

Marc doesn’t show up in Valentino's office on Monday, neither Tuesday or on any other day of the week. In fact, Valentino hasn’t really heard much from him ever since they returned from Linda’s wedding, the last time they spoken when Valentino thanked Marc for keeping him company. 

Valentino has been in a sour mood since that time.

He tries to focus on work not to think about Marc and kill both the time and the disappointment Marc’s silence left him in. He finishes three rapports long before the deadline, something that makes Lin’s usually stoic face twist in very clear surprise, and he has a board full of post-it notes filled with ideas that might be useful in the future. 

It’s all for nothing. 

To make it all worse, Jorge makes an appearance, humming as he puts a stack of papers on Valentino’s desk. 

“So, how’s your love life going, old man?” he asks, pulling a chair out to sit on. “Did you finally get over your teenager-with-a-crush phase and asked the little bastard out?” 

Valentino grits his teeth. Jorge’s teasing is the last thing he wants to hear right now, and he needs to stop himself from saying something he might regret later. Jorge (probably) has good intentions, but he also chose the worst moment for being an annoying dick. 

“You were wrong,” Valentino says, trying to control the anger and disappointment in his voice. “Marc doesn’t like me. He hasn’t come here since that wedding.”

In fact, Marc hasn’t said more than five words to him since that wedding, and that is what stings the most. If Marc told him he didn’t want to be friends anymore, Valentino would begrudgingly accept. _This_ just feels like shit. 

For once, Jorge seems surprised. 

“Maybe just call him then? You know, like a normal person would,” Jorge says. “Maybe there’s a reason behind that.” 

Valentino glares at him. “If he doesn’t want to see me, that’s fine. His choice.”

He refuses to fawn over Marc if Marc doesn’t want anything to do with him. 

Jorge gets up and throws a file on Valentino’s desk. “Whatever, Vale. Keep being stubborn, that is your choice, but don’t come crying to me later.” 

Valentino most definitely will not. 

*

It’s by chance that they meet in the lift, the door halfway closed when Marc sticks his foot in between them to force them open. 

A flash of something passes over his face, and for a second Valentino thinks Marc might retreat and wait for another lift just so they don’t have to be in an enclosed space together. It doesn’t happen, though, as Marc takes a step forward and pushes the button to get to his floor. 

There are a few seconds of silence during which Valentino stares at his phone and Marc does everything not to stare at him. It’s weird and awkward and not at all how they used to be, but this seems to be their new reality. 

Marc is the first to get fed up with the silence and give in. “Hey. How are you?” 

“If you bothered to talk to me, you’d know,” Valentino hisses. 

There’s definitely hurt flashing on Marc’s face, and Valentino almost feels bad. He would feel bad, if not for the fact that this whole ordeal is pretty much only Marc’s fault, so he doesn’t. 

Marc surprises him for the nth time since they met. 

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t ignoring you.” 

“No?” Valentino asks, not holding back on the sarcasm. 

“I thought you were uncomfortable after sleeping in one bed with me,” Marc explains, wriggling in discomfort. “I know you agreed to it, but then I accidentally snuggled up to you at night and you were kinda distant on the next day. So I thought it was better to give you space.” 

Valentino shakes his head. “You weren’t the problem.” _I am._ “Why would you think so?” 

“I thought it was pretty obvious,” Marc says, scratching the back of his head. “I always get told that my feelings for you are very obvious, so.”

Valentino freezes. Jorge’s words echo in his mind, the less than appropriate ones too, and he has a hard time shaking them off. 

“Well, they weren’t,” he murmurs, his mouth dry out all of a sudden. Not back then, at least. 

He can’t believe Jorge was right all this time. 

Marc flushes bright red, his cheeks flaming up with colour. “I’m sorry, that doesn’t change anything. We can still be friends, I promise I won’t be weird or anything.” 

His eyes are wide, and he looks almost scared waiting for Valentino’s reaction. He shuffles from one foot to the other and he might dislocate his fingers if he keeps on cracking his knuckles like that; Valentino cannot help but cringe at the sound. 

“It’s fine,” Valentino says, all the weight suddenly gone off his shoulders. He reaches out to take Marc’s hands in his; they fit well together. “Jorge won’t let me live, though, because it was him who said you liked me back, and I didn’t believe him.” 

Marc blinks a few times, processing the words. Valentino blinks back, and then both of them break into the brightest of smiles simultaneously. 

“You’re free today after work? 

Valentino makes a mental note to cancel that shopping trip with Luca they had planned for tonight; he’s sure his little brother will understand. “I can make some time. Yours or mine?”

After they’ve agreed on what their evening is supposed look like, Marc cranes his neck and wraps Valentino up in a hug. He pushes their lips together, and the kiss is way too brief for Valentino’s liking, because Marc kisses like he acts – passionately, enthusiastically, and, most importantly, irresistibly. 

“I’m counting on more of that,” Valentino says, brushing his thumb over Marc’s reddened lips. They only shared one kiss, and he’s already addicted. 

Marc winks, his expression a pure tease. “Maybe you’ll get more of something else too.”

*

Next day, things _finally_ go back to normal.

Valentino glances at his watch more often than he probably should, counting the hours till the beginning of Marc’s lunch break. The time moves very slowly, but when the door to his office finally opens, Valentino grins, mirroring Marc’s beaming face. 

“I brought you cake,” Marc says, putting a plastic box on Valentino’s desk.

Valentino lifts the box’s lid, inhaling the sweet smell of chocolate. “If I knew I’d be getting free food, I’d have started dating you earlier.” 

They falls back into their old routine. Valentino pretends to be working while Marc is talking animatedly about how he his day has been so far, apart from the morning they spent tangled in Valentino’s sheets that they both remember all too well. It feels good. It feels right. Like the way things have always supposed to be. 

“I see you two stopped being idiots and finally got into each other’s pants,” Jorge’s voice interrupts their bliss, as he walks into the room, in a strangely good mood. “Took you long enough. I need to call Fernando, he owes me fifty euros now.” 

Both Marc and Valentino turn to look at him, perfectly in sync, watching as Jorge picks a slice of _their_ cake and starts eating it, ignoring their stares. 

Marc blinks, confused. “Fernando as in Linda’s husband? What does he have to do with anything?”

He looks at Valentino for help, but Valentino has no clue, either. 

“You see, Marc,” Jorge begins, falling onto a chair and crossing his legs as he makes himself comfortable. “I’ve known Fernando for a while. He agreed to help me with something.” 

“What with?”

It’s obvious that Marc is as clueless as he was a moment ago, but something clicks in Valentino’s head, and pieces of the puzzle begin to fit. Jorge’s recent involvement in Valentino’s love life and all the advice he has offered suddenly feels rather suspicious. 

Valentino can already feel the upcoming headache. “Don’t tell me you got Fernando to ask Linda to invite _me_ to their wedding.”

_Jorge couldn’t, could he?_

“She was very enthusiastic, I’ve been told,” Jorge tells him, as if talking about the weather. “And I knew you wouldn’t go there alone, the little bastard played right into my hands.” 

“I can’t believe Fernando agreed to that,” Valentino says. He must’ve judged Fernando wrong, if that is something the guy is ready to do. Linda, he’s not surprised by. 

Jorge shrugs. “Fernando now knows he doesn’t have to worry about you, Vale. Linda had her fun. I don’t have to listen you whine anymore. And you two fucked. Everyone wins.” 

He takes another bite of the cake, not making much of the stunned silence his revelation left Marc and Valentino in. It’s the clinking of a fork being placed on a plate that finally wakes them up out of that stupor, Marc being the one to recover. 

Jorge has the clarity of mind to get on the move before either of them can do much, his own safety the highest priority. “Bye, have fun!” 

“It’ll be on your desk!” Valentino yells after Jorge, flipping him the finger Jorge most likely doesn’t get to see. The bastard has already disappeared around the corner by the time Valentino found his ability to speak again. 

He takes a gulp of his coffee, regretting that he can’t have anything stronger at work. He mourns becoming friends with Jorge in the first place; if he knew it would end up like this, he’d have reconsidered. 

Suddenly, Valentino remembers something Jorge said that piqued his curiosity. He turns to Marc, who looks at him with big eyes, and asks. 

“Were you really talking about me with Jorge?”

Marc flushes bright red. “I might’ve blurted it out accidentally. I’m still not used to him being in the team instead of Dani.” 

Valentino doesn’t have the heart to laugh at him, Marc is too adorable. Jorge though, he will make sure to get back at later. 

“What did you say about fun on Jorge’s desk?” Marc asks curiously a little later. 

Valentino smirks. He has an idea, and he doesn’t think Marc will need much convincing.

**Author's Note:**

> The "If I’m ‘Nando, then you’re Lindo,” is a horrible pun I feel like tipsy (and let's be real, sober too) Marc would make. "Linda" in Spanish is a feminine version of the word "cute, lovely" and the masculine version would be Lindo, so Marc is basically calling Vale cute.
> 
> Thank you for reading <3


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